[Engineering-Related Fields](/majors/engineering-technologies/engineering-related-fields/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for engineering-related fields students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in engineering-related fields, balancing cost against outcomes.
Leading the list is Utah Valley University, our #1 best value for engineering-related fields in the Rocky Mountains Region. Utah Valley University is a very large public school located in the city of Orem. Students from in state pay about $6,507 in tuition and fees, compared with $18,489 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $13,850 to complete the engineering-related fields program here. Soon after graduation, engineering-related fields degree recipients from Utah Valley University generally make around $63,780. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in engineering-related fields will find it at Utah State University, which ranked #2. Utah State University is a very large public school located in the city of Logan. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,560, compared with $24,993 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $13,988 to complete the engineering-related fields program here. Early-career engineering-related fields graduates make about $54,059. Set against $13,988 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Utah State University admits about 92% of applicants.
Colorado School Of Mines came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value engineering-related fields schools. Set in the suburb of Golden, Colorado School Of Mines is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,914, with out-of-state students paying around $45,824. Typical student debt for engineering-related fields graduates is $24,521. Engineering-Related Fields graduates of Colorado School Of Mines earn a median of $85,338 early in their careers. Set against $24,521 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
